Like a Satellite
by ThexInvisiblexGirl
Summary: Missing scene from Eclipse, between chapters 2 and 3 – Bella and Edward go to Jacksonville. Please R&R!
1. Wednesday

**A/N: I thought about this in collaboration with Mizra, and the initial idea was to write it together, but then life got in the way so we didn't get a chance to complete it. Possible minor spoilers to **_**Twilight**_**, **_**New Moon**_**, and the beginning of **_**Eclipse**_**. Lots of fluff which, after my previous fic, I thought you guys would enjoy. It picks up pretty much where chapter 2 of **_**Eclipse**_** leaves off, and concludes the night of Bella and Edward's return to Forks, in the middle of chapter 3. I'm dividing this by days, so each is not really a chapter, length-wise. Some parts are longer than others – sorry in advance about that. Review if you like it, please? Or if you don't? I'm always happy to know what you think, either way =)**

**Disclaimer: it's all Stephenie Meyer's, including bits of dialogue I borrowed for context.**

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Like a Satellite

I pulled my old duffle bag from underneath my bed and dropped it on my bed, grumbling to myself. Packing now was probably better than getting stuck with it tomorrow after school. Considering it was Wednesday night, I had no idea how Edward expected us to find vacant seats on any flight that left on Friday. Then again, when it came to the Cullens, I guessed there was nothing they could _not_ get, so I might as well be prepared. I'd have to call my mom first thing tomorrow. I dreaded the thought of doing so, and I secretly hoped she had already had plans for the weekend. For a moment I thought I'd better just call her now and get it over with, but this was not a conversation I wanted to make with Charlie in the next room. No, it would have to wait for tomorrow morning after all.

I stared dumbfounded at the empty bag, and then, hopelessly, at my small closet. How was I supposed to pack when I didn't even know the weather in Florida? I figured my mom would have some of my stuff if I forgot anything essential; she had probably taken everything with her when she and Phil had settled in Jacksonville. And I didn't have most of my summer clothes with me here anyway, so I threw into the bag some light tee-shirts and shorts and the only sundress I owned, a pair of jeans and a cardigan just in case it would get cold. When I finally crawled into bed about an hour or so later, I was exhausted. The events of this chaotic evening were almost completely forgotten by the time my head touched the pillow.

Almost.

It was a restless night. I was tossing and turning for what felt like hours before I sat up with a sigh. There was no way I was going to fall asleep that way, I knew. I felt too giddy, too agitated. But it wasn't just the fact that my mind was preoccupied by million different things. I could hardly fall asleep without him in the room these days. I was so used to him being here, to his cold arms wrapped so protectively around me when I woke up; anything else felt strange now, wrong. I glanced at the open window. Did he make the choice for me, and decided not to come tonight?

Something moved in the shadows; I started and reached out to turn on the light.

"I'm sorry – I didn't mean to frighten you." His voice was velvet as he stepped out of the shadow. My breath caught. The faint lamplight framed his figure in a golden halo. He looked unreal. He advanced in human pace, and there was uncertainty in the act. He remained standing, towering over my bed. I glanced at the rocking chair from over his shoulder, moving back and forth ever so slightly, undisrupted by its occupant's movement.

"How long have you been sitting there?"

"An hour or so," he replied, running a hand through his tousled bronze hair in a motion I had come to recognize as hesitation. His eyes were intent on mine. "Are you very upset with me?"

I wanted to say I was more than upset – I was _furious_. I thought a night with the Cullens was enough to soothe me, but everything was resurfacing now: bringing up the tickets issue and causing Charlie to freak out, messing up with my truck so I wouldn't be able to get to La Push, not giving me a fair warning about Charlie's intended sex talk –

It was all gone when I met his gaze.

I sighed, and tossed the covers aside. "Come here."

He smiled at the invitation, but the motion was strained. Silently he kicked his shoes off. I scooted a bit as he climbed onto my bed. The old bed springs groaned in protest as he gently pulled me into his arms. I turned the lamp off and the room was wrapped in darkness again. He threw the covers over the two of us. I nestled into his embrace, exhaling slowly as I pressed my back against his marble chest.

"Yes, I'm mad at you," I said then, but my voice was wrong, too soft for the confrontation I had planned.

"You have every right to," he replied, his lips close to my ear. His breath tickled, soft and cool against my skin. I shivered. "I know you think I'm horribly interfering, but please understand I'm doing all this to protect you."

"How about not telling me what Charlie was up to? Was that a part of protecting me as well?" I asked acidly. I couldn't help it. That part had probably infuriated me the most.

"No, that was merely for my own personal amusement. I guess I should apologize for that; it wasn't nice of me," he said slowly, as if he was really feeling bad about it. "But the rest of it… I can apologize, if it makes you feel better, but I cannot honestly regret it."

I lay there sulking in the darkness. I couldn't think of a backfire for that. And I couldn't stay mad at him because I knew he _was_ trying to protect me, in his own odd way. "I don't want you to apologize unless you really mean it, so there's really no point." I could feel it now, the heavy waves of slumber slowly overpowering me. A yawn escaped me, in spite of myself.

"You should get some sleep," he murmured, and his arms tightened around me.

"I will still be mad in the morning, Edward," I mumbled, half asleep now. I couldn't resist it any longer. I let my eyes close as I slowly drifted.

"I know. Sleep now, Bella," he whispered, and began to hum my lullaby, so low in my ear I was sure I was dreaming it.


	2. Thursday

**A/N: hey everyone, thanks so much for your lovely reviews! Here's the next installment... slightly longer this time - happy reading!**

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I insisted to be left alone so I could call Renée before school. My plan was to get to her before Charlie did. I had no idea what to say to her, but I knew it would be wiser to handle it myself than let Charlie do the honor. I all but shooed Edward out of my window before I got dressed hastily and made sure I had everything I needed for school. I could tell he wasn't pleased with my persistence, but to my surprise he didn't argue. I guessed he was trying to make amends for upsetting me the night before. Besides, I knew he would probably not be far, anyway.

After I got ready for the day, I went downstairs and launched at the phone. Charlie was out already, which was a relief, so I dialed the number at Renée's house. I had to wait quite some time before someone even picked up the phone, and I started to fear that maybe I was too early and they weren't even up yet. But that didn't make much sense; Renée had always been a morning person, and Florida was three hours ahead, so it wasn't even that early there.

Eventually my mother answered the phone. "Dwyer residence."

I laughed at her breathless greeting. "Hi, Mom."

"_Bella_! I'm sorry, I didn't hear the phone – I was outside, watering the – how are you, honey? I haven't spoken to you in _ages_!" She sounded as hyper as she had always done when I called. I hoped it meant Charlie hadn't gotten to her yet. "How's school? You're graduating soon, are you excited yet? Do you have a dress for your senior prom? You _are_ going to your senior prom, aren't you? Do you have a lot of finals to study for?"

"Breathe, Mom," I laughed. I thought my voice sounded funny, a bit higher than it normally had. Just nerves, I told myself. "Everything's fine. Listen," I started, swallowing this lump of fear that got stuck in my throat. "Are you doing something this weekend?" For a moment, I couldn't help but hope she was headed for Timbuktu or something.

"No. Phil's a bit busy this weekend. It's playoff season, so we didn't make any plans. Why, honey?"

"Well, because…" I could feel my face go all hot. Oh, damn you Edward Cullen for making me go through this, I inwardly scowled. See if I'll even _look_ at you when I get to school. "Well, I thought I'd come over this weekend," I said as nonchalantly as I possibly could, as if it wasn't a big deal, as if she had lived just around the corner from here.

I held the phone away from my ear just in time. "_What_? Are you _serious_? But how can you afford – "

I mentally braced myself. "The thing is, Mom, the, umm, Cullens got me this present on my birthday last year… plane tickets… so I could come and see you. I didn't get a chance to use them and they're about to expire – " And then I realized what I was saying and my voice trailed off. I waited, in horror, because I thought I knew how Renée was going to react.

And I was right. "Ticket_s_?" she asked, suggestively stressing that last syllable.

I hung my head in defeat. I wouldn't speak to him for a week, I decided. Even if I knew I wouldn't be able to keep this promise, making it made me feel better. "Yes. For me and Edward."

"Oh, I see," she said, and I knew the exact expression she must have had on her face. "Well, this is extremely short notice, but of course we'd love to have you over for the weekend, honey." She laughed softly then. "What does Charlie say about this?"

"Dad doesn't like it much." What an understatement.

"No he doesn't, does he," she said sympathetically. "Well, how about I'll have a talk with your dad, try to make him see reason?"

I finally saw another way out. What if Charlie didn't listen to her? That meant I could most definitely not go, didn't it?

Unfortunately I was quiet for too long, and Mom misinterpreted it. "Don't worry about it, Bella, I'll fix this. When are you coming?"

"I'm… not sure yet. Tomorrow at some point." I wondered if it meant we'd have to cut school. Charlie would be impossibly angrier if that were to be the case. I seriously hoped Edward had better sense than that.

"Let me know when you know, so we could pick you up. I can't wait to see you, honey, it's been so long!" She faltered towards the end, and I knew she was thinking of the last time she had seen me, detached and catatonic, after Edward had left.

I shook my head. I didn't want to go back to that dark time, not even in a memory. I was too giddy to face the demons of the past just now. "I can't wait to see you too, Mom," I said distractedly.

"I'll call your dad right now," she promised. I mumbled my agreement, and hung up. I couldn't believe how easy this was. I knew the trickier part was still ahead of me. She let it go on the phone, but I knew that the moment she saw us, her maternal instincts would kick in. Even Renée had maternal instincts. Edward had always pointed out how observant I had been. Well, he clearly didn't spend a lot of time with my mom. If I was observant, she was the one I had got it from.

As I drove to school, I planned how I was going to completely ignore Edward throughout the morning. In the scenarios I came up with, I'd hardly glance in his direction, and I'd ignore his imploring gazes throughout the morning classes at least until lunchtime, and even then I'd make him beg for my forgiveness. If he came over this afternoon, I'd act cold and distant. I sniggered inwardly. Charlie was going to love _that_. I wouldn't even let him into my room tonight. Unlike my momentary slip the night before, tonight I'd keep my window shut. I wouldn't properly speak to him until it was time to board the plane tomorrow.

Of course, all that flew out of the window the moment I parked my truck.

I didn't even have a chance to lock the truck when suddenly Alice was there, possibly leaving a dent in the side of my truck as she shoved me against it, crashing me with a hug. "_Bella_! You're _finally_ here!" she exclaimed.

I grumbled something in reply as I untangled myself from her grip and retrieved my keys, which had found their way to the ground as a result of her launch. I couldn't handle her energy so early in the morning. Just watching her fidgeting the way she did made my head spin. And then Edward was there, laying a hand against her shoulder as if to restrain her. His eyes were all for me, and I could already feel the confidence I'd been working on throughout the drive crumple beneath his stare. Sudden weakness overtook me as his gaze slowly left mine. My knees wobbled and my stomach flipped. I leaned against my truck for support. A tiny, smug grin curled on his lips, sending every last drop of assertiveness away.

" – so I was thinking – an emergency shopping trip!" Alice announced, completing a sentence I'd never heard her begin.

"What?" I blinked, tearing my gaze from Edward's face and trying to focus it on his sister. My mind was like mush, filled with flashes of his too perfect smile. I slung my bag against my shoulder, determined to snap out of it. I tried to follow my original plan and nail Edward with a cold glare, but the spark of amusement in his eyes implied I didn't quite achieve my purpose. I sighed, defeated, and took his offered hand as we began to cross the parking lot.

"We're going to Port Angeles after lunchtime to get you some stuff for your weekend!" Alice explained.

I stopped dead on my tracks. "No, we're not."

"I told you she'd be difficult," Edward muttered, looking straight ahead as if he hadn't said anything.

Alice rolled her eyes. "I wasn't _asking_ you if you wanted to go, Bella, I was merely stating the facts."

"I'm _not_ cutting class, Alice. I'm in deep enough trouble over this weekend as it is," I complained. Her expression was sealed and determined. Sighing, I threw a pleading glance at Edward. He was the one who had to let me out of this planned trip, as it was all his fault in the first place.

To my surprise, he raised his arms in unusual defeat. "Don't look at _me_, it's not even my idea."

I scowled. Sure, he could handle sadistic vampires and all other sorts of monstrosities, but when it came to his adamant sister, he was puddy in her hands.

My gaze wandered from him to Alice, who still looked haughty, as if she knew she was going to win. Well, being able to see the future, she probably _did_ know she was going to win. But that didn't mean I wasn't going to at least try and defend myself better. "No! No way! I'm not going along with this!" I knew I probably sounded like a spoilt brat, but I didn't care. First the fiasco of the previous evening, now a planned shopping trip with Alice – it was just too much to handle.

"Look, we'll have enough time to argue during lunch," she said, somehow getting a hold on my hand. She squeezed it lightly. The smile she flashed at me was so sweet and yielding; I almost gave in right there and then. "Right now, you'd better get to class or you'll flunk your pop quiz."

Pop quiz? "Oh, no," I groaned. Could this day get worse?

Edward slipped his hand into mine again. The familiar, icy touch was comforting somehow, getting through my rage and frustration. "Come on."

xoxox

Edward used a different tactic than the one I'd expected him to use. He didn't try to make amends throughout the morning lessons, he didn't challenge the assertive attitude I struggled to maintain, he silently accepted my cold glares as if those were routine. More than anything, never once did he mention the drive to Port Angeles.

And so I knew I was in big trouble when we stepped into the cafeteria. It meant it wasn't even subject for arguments. Alice was already there when we walked in, smiling angelically as I took a seat next to her, sulking. I could feel Edward's smirk drilling holes in my back. I decided to ignore it, and bit into my apple as hard as I could. I was hoping to ignore both of them altogether, but unfortunately, everyone else around the table was preoccupied. Ben and Angela were discussing their plans for the weekend, and Mike was too far to try and make eye contact to start a conversation. I wished I had a book with me. That could have been the perfect escape.

"It's all set," Alice announced, ignoring my distress. "We're leaving right after lunch."

I shook my head in one last miserable attempt to protest. "My truck – "

" – is at home," she completed my sentence, her angel smile widening.

I nearly choked on my apple. "How did you – " but I had to stop my astounded gasp as a violent cough shook me. I grabbed my soda and took a long sip. When I was slightly more composed, I threw a glance at Edward. He looked worried, but only by the possibility of me choking over my lunch. "You're not saying anything?"

"I'm merely the driver," he reminded me, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

"Sure, sure," I muttered, annoyed.

"It's going to be _great_!" Alice promised, and turned to say something to Angela who was sitting across from us.

I leaned back, exasperated. It felt as if nothing I said or did could change things. There was nothing I could do about the current situation except to grin and bear it.

Right after lunch, the three of us headed to the parking lot. Alice all but pulled me into the passenger seat. She waited for me to buckle myself up before she skipped into the backseat. Edward still looked amused as he started the car. We were out of school grounds before I got a chance to blink, of course. We would be in Port Angeles in no time.

"I don't like this," I murmured, keeping my eyes on the window.

"You don't have to," Alice replied sweetly. "Think of it as a dentist appointment."

"I'd rather go to the dentist."

"Aww, I love this song!" Alice exclaimed then, completely ignoring my protest. Suddenly she was interested in the music Edward had turned on at some point of the way. She started humming along with a song I didn't recognize, then the next one. Then when she got tired of singing, she dragged Edward into a long discussion about a band whose name I'd never heard before, and how she wanted to catch their international tour when it hit our area. I knew what she was trying to do, and I shifted in my seat in discomfort. I kept my gaze fixed on the window, and tried to drown their voices instead.

I was surprised Alice preferred Port Angeles over one of the bigger towns around Forks, where there were actual malls. I wondered why that was. It wasn't that we were short in time because Edward drove like a maniac; we could be anywhere in no time. It could have to do with the mayhem in Seattle, the thing Charlie had warned me against, but why would that deter Alice? Surely she could fight off anyone, any_thing_, if it came her way. Either way, I was relieved she didn't want us to go to Seattle. Charlie would have grounded me for life if he ever found out.

I was clinging to Edward's side when we stepped out of the car. I was still mad at him, but his arms were safer than his sister, who all but waltzed across the street, heading towards the first shop in a row of five. I groaned inwardly.

"Do as she says, and it will be over faster," he advised me. I heard a smile in his voice.

"It's easy for _you_ to say. She's not going to treat you like a human Barbie doll." He pursed his lips, to stop his smile from growing wider. I tried to maintain my no-nonsense expression, without much success. "Do you realize I don't even know when our flight is?" I scowled at him.

"Tomorrow afternoon. Since one of our classes is being cancelled anyway, we'll only have to cut one class," he replied, answering my earlier wondering. "Have you spoken with your mother?"

"I have. She's thrilled," I admitted reluctantly.

He stopped on the sidewalk then, took both my hands in his, and looked right into me. "Try to look as if you're having fun," he pleaded. "This is very important for Alice. Besides, you can pull off whichever act you'd like; deep down, you're looking forward for this weekend."

"I thought you couldn't read my mind," I teased, frowning. He only smiled and leaned over. my heart began to thud irregularly in anticipation.

"Hurry, you two, will you?" Alice's shrill voice echoed some distance behind us as soon as his lips brushed against mine.

Edward slowly pulled away from me. His soft growl didn't escape me. I grinned victoriously. "Deep down, you're just as willing to bite her head off."

"I'm trying not to think about it when she's around," he said, steering me towards her.

She was standing in front of the first shop, shaking her head as we advanced. "You have a whole weekend to do that. Now come on, we've got plenty of work to do!"

Her reproach was gone the second we stepped in. She was a few steps ahead of us, chatting endlessly about fabrics and sundresses and the weather in Florida. Before I got a chance to even look around, she had a huge pile of clothes in her arms, a jumble of pinks and yellows and bright blues mixed into one another. She beckoned me to follow her to the back of the shop where the fitting booths probably were. I tagged along, defeated. It could be my one good deed for the week.

"You – out," Alice commanded, prying me from Edward's arms and shoving me into a large booth that could easily contain three other people.

"See you in a bit," I mouthed. He managed a flash of a crooked smile before she shut the velvet curtain in his face.

"And you, off with your clothes," she said, flashing that sweet smile at me again.

Time passed sluggishly. Alice had put me into dozens of different tanktops and shorts, trying out various combinations. The worst part was when each and every time, she sent me out to see what Edward thought. I didn't mind, at first. It was kind of funny to see him all flustered; he wasn't used to seeing me wear so little. I hoped he was beginning to realize what he was getting himself into, taking me to a weekend in a warmer place. He kept his voice neutral as he commented on each item, much to Alice's delight, but I saw the way his jaw clenched and unclenched, as if he was fighting self control.

And then, Alice was back in the fitting booth with a new pile. Of bathing suits.

"No, no, _no_! No _way_, Alice!" I whined, wrapping my arms around myself.

Alice rolled her eyes. "You _have_ to get a bathing suit, Bella, what if your mom takes you to the beach? Besides," she added, winking, as she lowered her voice into a conspirator's whisper. "You know Edward will want to see those."

"I'm _not_ going out in those!" I protested, feeling the blood rush to my cheeks. I eyed them with dread. They were almost invisible, smaller than any bathing suit I'd ever worn in my life. The thought of stepping out wearing one of those made me blush even harder.

"Oh. Well, okay. Your loss," she said, her expression sealed. I stared at her incredulously. I couldn't believe she surrendered. And then my eyes met her empty gaze, and I realized she wasn't addressing me. I exhaled slowly, feeling myself calm down. I _could_ thank him later, I told myself. Even if I was still mad. "Edward asked us to excuse him. He's gone down to the bookshop," she said, shaking her head. The disappointment was clearly written in her golden eyes. "I suppose it means we'll keep the lingerie for another opportunity."

_Ugh_! "Give me those," I grumbled, and she handed me the small pieces of material with an angelic smile.

The rest of the afternoon had been pretty much eventless. Alice attempted to revenge Edward for ditching her. She made sure to think of nothing but those awful bathing suits she forced me to try on, explaining that if he wasn't far away, he'd have to catch a glimpse of her thoughts even if he wasn't intending to. Whatever I had to say changed very little, and since my only wish was to get things over with, I obeyed her every command.

"Hmm," she said when I stepped out in the last piece of swimwear, a bikini so outrageously small I knew Charlie would lock me in if I even attempted to wear it. Not that I planned to. Even in the small fitting booth, I felt like wrapping the curtain around me when I stepped out. I could hardly meet Alice's inspecting gaze. "Well, it's, umm, small… oops!" she began to giggle suddenly. "You'd better be careful now, Edward!"

"What did you do?" I hissed, horrified.

"I didn't do anything. I was just asking for his opinion on this last item. But I don't think he thinks much of it; he just dropped a copy of _A Portrait of New Zealand_ in the shop he's in. Why he's interested in New Zealand is beyond me, it's such a dreadfully long swim. Ah well. I hope they don't charge him if he damages the book."

Her chattering was beginning to give me a headache. "Alice, my dad is going to be home soon."

"Oh, don't worry about Charlie. He got some pizza for the two of you on his way home. And I left him a note on your behalf, explaining you were with me." She looked around us, and my eyes followed hers, observing the disarray we'd left behind. The floor was barely visible beneath the pile of discarded items. "But we still have work to do, so yes, I guess we can head back now."

I began to pull my own clothes back on before she even had a chance to finish her sentence.

xoxox

Edward was quiet on the drive back, and I suspected it was due to the trick Alice had pulled off earlier. He seemed to be having a hard time looking at me now, not to mention touching me. Whereas normally he'd drive one-handed and have my hand securely in his, this time he clutched the wheel in both hands, so tightly that his knuckles went whiter than normally. He paid more attention to the road than he had ever done before. I shot Alice a distressed look through the rearview mirror. She merely shrugged, as if telling me he'd get over it soon.

It was dark when he pulled into our street and stopped in front of Charlie's house. The cruiser was parked in front, and there was light coming from the living room. Edward killed the engine and finally turned to look at me. "I'll see you later," he said, brushing his hand across my cheek.

"You're not coming in?"

A shadow of a smile ghosted across his lips. "I thought you were still mad at me." It was part question, part statement. I rolled my eyes but said nothing, letting the question linger in my stare. "No, I… Emmett needs me at home."

It was strange. I remembered the last time he was reluctant about coming in with me. A shudder went through me. It felt as if this anxiety about an imminent departure would always be there at the back of my mind. I looked at him carefully. It wasn't like last time, I told myself. He didn't have that empty expression like he'd had then. There's nothing to be afraid of. "Okay. I'll leave my window open."

"I'll be back as soon as I can," he promised, leaning forward to kiss me. Yeah, I told myself, everything was fine.

Charlie was still sour-faced when I walked in. Alice tagged along to soften the atmosphere, but I had a feeling it wasn't going to do much help this time. "Hey, Charlie!" she chimed as we poked our heads into the living room to greet him.

"Hi, girls. Where have you been?" he asked, his eyes focusing on the bags Alice was carrying. Suspicion sneaked into his voice as he shifted his gaze from her to me.

"We were in Port Angeles, getting Bella some new stuff for her weekend," said Alice, escaping the elbow I tried to push into her ribs. I would probably have inflicted more damage to myself than to her, anyway.

Charlie's eyes were back on me now, reproaching rather than suspicious. "Your mother called me this morning, Bella," he said, obviously displeased by this fact. But I could detect the surrender in his voice, in the way he looked at me. I knew my only way out had just failed me even before he spoke next. "You can go to Jacksonville if you want."

"Thanks, Dad," I mumbled, looking away from him as soon as I'd gotten the chance. The previous evening was still fresh in my memory.

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow after lunch, I think. Edward said we're flying out tomorrow afternoon," I said, throwing an inquiring look at Alice, who nodded.

Charlie fixed his supposedly indifferent gaze back on the TV. I'd lived with him long enough to know that he was faking it. "Where _is_ Edward?"

"He's gone packing. Boys, they always leave things to the last minute!"

I sniggered. I was sure Edward was all ready and packed. I was also sure it was mostly thanks to Alice. I didn't realize she was urging me upstairs before it was too late.

"Edward's going to be back in a little over an hour, _hurry_!"

"Hurry? What the hell do you want us to do?" I thought the worst part of the day was behind me by now.

Alice threw me a glare from over her shoulder and strode into my room. "Repack," was all she said, switching on the lights. I sighed and shut the door behind us. I walked over to my desk and emptied my bag from books as she got hold on my duffle bag. She peered inside and shook her head in dismay. "You're worse than my brother. Sit back, let me fix this."

"_What_? Alice, I don't need – "

"Don't you have anything to read, Bella? Here," she said sweetly, thrusting my tattered copy of _Wuthering Heights_ at me. "Sit there and try to ignore me."

I snorted, but did as she demanded. Ignore her. Right.


	3. Friday

By the time our second plane had landed, I was completely worn out. It had been a long day. Edward drove us to the airport, and we'd been wandering from one plane to another ever since. I dozed off leaning against Edward through most of the second flight, but unfortunately, it was too short. He had to practically drag me out of the plane when we finally landed in Jacksonville. He grabbed both our bags in one hand, leaving his other hand free for me to hold.

I was fidgeting nervously now, my exhaustion all gone. My mother was right outside, right through those doors, and suddenly I was impatient to see her. Edward smiled, as if he had sensed my urgency. "Not _that_ sorry we came, then, are you?" he teased me, his lips fluttering on the top of my head. I reveled at the fleeting sensation his touch inflicted. It was probably the closest we were going to get this weekend, beneath my mother's inspecting gaze.

The airport was pretty much deserted at that time after dusk. The Cullens had timed our arrival so that Edward wouldn't have to walk out in the sun. Only just realizing that, I smiled, but that smile soon froze when I saw her at the far end of the airport, trying to look over people's heads. I didn't even feel myself letting go of Edward's hand at first, but I knew he'd follow me anyway.

When I was halfway towards her, she finally saw me. "_Bella_!" she exclaimed, wrapping me in a hug. "Oh, honey, I can't believe you're here!"

"Hi, Mom," I smiled. I could feel Edward catching up with me. He didn't have to touch me for my heart to start beating erratically. "You remember Edward," I said, hoping neither of them would notice the tremor in my voice.

"Of course," she said, slowly letting go of me. "Hi, Edward, nice to see you again."

"And you," he said, looking grave and polite. He didn't try to shake her hand, but she didn't seem to mind. She still had her arms wrapped around me.

"Phil is waiting in the car. Are you guys hungry? We can stop on the way and get you something to eat before we head home."

"No, Mom, we're fine. We had dinner a couple of hours ago." From the corner of my eye, I saw Edward's lips twitch in the tiniest of grins at my lie. As soon as my mom's back was turned to us, I winked at him as we followed her outside.

It was actually kind of great to see Phil again. Renée introduced him and Edward, and I couldn't figure out which part of the introduction made her more proud. It struck me again how different Phil was to my dad, all spirited and energetic, the perfect reflection of my mother. Charlie, like me, was an old soul. Both of us favored peace and quiet over any sort of company. I got tired from listening to them chatting in the front seat.

I looked outside as we drove through unfamiliar streets, taking in the sights of my mother's new home. It was strange to think it was a home she wasn't sharing with me. It could have been my home too, if I chose differently. My eyes now wandered from the window to Edward, who was staring at me with a hint of his crooked grin on his lips. I dropped my gaze, blushing, hoping my mom was too busy chattering to notice. His hand was on the seat next to mine, close enough to touch. I clutched my hand into a fist instead. Not with Renée around.

xoxox

It was a one-story house, small and homey, decorated in the same style as our place in Phoenix. My mother's touch was everywhere, in artsy stuff she probably got around flea markets and random auctions. I recognized some of the paintings on the walls from our old place. My mother had a thing for the strangest artists. Some of those canvases looked as if they were painted by preschool kids. _I_ could make better paintings than that. I didn't want to think how it all looked like to Edward, with original Monets and Degas hanging every which way at the Cullens' place.

"This here is your room, honey," Renée said, opening a door ahead of us. A quick glance inside proved the walls to be plain and free from any work of art. I exhaled in relief. "Now, Edward, since we usually use this one as a guest room, I'm not really sure where…"

Her voice trailed with uncertainty; her cheeks tinted bright pink. Her eyes flickered to me, and I knew what she'd been wondering. But before I could let out a protest – as stuttered as such protest would have been – Edward spoke.

"I'll be fine on the sofa," he said calmly, but I knew his expression well enough to know he knew _exactly_ what my mother was thinking, and that it was exactly the thing I'd feared of.

"Oh," she said, and the relief in her voice was clear. Obviously, she liked that idea far better than us sharing a room, or worse – a bed. She had more of Charlie in her than I thought. Maybe it was a parents' thing. "Well, I can get you some stuff from the linen closet and we'll get you settled in no time. Now, the bathroom is right over there…"

xoxox

Since it was too late for a proper dinner, my mom made some sandwiches, and afterwards we all had hot chocolate in the kitchen. Edward politely declined to both, as I'd expected. Phil excused himself first, and Edward shortly afterwards, clearly meaning to give me a chance to have a bit of alone time with my mom. We slipped into our old familiar routine in no time. It was so easy to talk to her. I didn't realize how much I missed her until that moment.

Edward was reading when I crossed the living room on the way to my room. He now had on grey sweatpants and a white tee shirt which made me stop dead on my tracks. For a moment, he looked so… human. I'd never seen him dressed so casually before, not even while spending nights in my room. I walked closer to his makeshift bed, trying hard not to snigger since my mom was right on my heel. He lowered his book as soon as he saw me and smiled, returning my own grin.

"Good night, kids," Renée said before disappearing down the hallway.

"Are you off to bed?" he asked me, his voice low and unintentionally sultry. It was a moment before I remembered how to breathe. Not trusting myself to be able to speak properly, I just nodded. "Sleep well."

"That's it?" I heard myself ask; his lips twisted in a tiny smile at the whining question. "Don't I get a goodnight kiss?"

He stood up, and for a moment I didn't care Renée was probably still awake, and quite possibly straining to hear our hissed conversation. His eyes were smoldering, dark gold in the dim lamplight. There was nothing I wanted more than him pressing his lips to mine.

But he didn't. Instead, he took my hand, and brought it to his lips. He raised his eyes to meet mine as he lay an icy kiss on my skin. "Good night," he whispered. I staggered a little as he slowly lowering my hand. He chuckled, as if he had anticipated my reaction, as if he had planned it. I was too dazed to be disappointed.

xoxox

With Edward staying on the sofa, it was impossible to even imagine I'd get any sleep tonight. I'd never had to handle a similar situation at home; either he was in my bedroom, or he wasn't. Now was different. His distance, and yet his proximity, just a few steps down the hallway, were making me completely restless. I tried to tell myself it was safer for him to stay there, safer for _us_. My mother didn't ask me anything too personal yet, but I knew it was because she was saving the private conversation for tomorrow, when I was more awake. Even Renée could be conniving. Either way, I knew it was coming. Presenting a chaste front was all for the better.

I wish someone had told my brain that, though.

At some point I guess I just drifted, because when I awoke next to a familiar sensation of cold lips pressing against my neck, I jolted with a gasp.

"Shh…" The soft murmur came from behind me. His breath was cool against my ear; his hand was on my mouth, muting my shriek. "Do you really want wake your mother after I've gone through all this trouble of sneaking in?"

There was laughter in his voice. Slowly, as if he was sure I got my panic under control, he removed his hand from my mouth. I took a deep breath just to steady my flying heart, and rolled on my back to face him. He had this unfamiliar sneaky grin on, one I'd normally associate with Emmett.

"What are you doing here?" Even the whispered question sounded loud in the silence that wrapped us. My panic was back, double forced. Unlike Charlie, Renée was a very light sleeper. Everything could wake her up, be it a stray cat in the street to something that fell in the kitchen. She could be on her way back here right now. My eyes flew to the door. The way my heart was suddenly thumping was almost embarrassing.

"She's fast asleep," he assured me, as he brushed his hand along my temple, bringing my eyes back on his. "Granted, I had to wait for hours, it's almost half passed two. She was staying up because she was sure I was going to sneak into your room." He looked especially smug about this piece of information. "As for your question," he added, and his hand stilled against my cheek, scalding hot beneath his icy touch. "I was under the impression you wanted a goodnight kiss."

My only response was a sharp gasp when his lips pressed against the hollow of my throat.

"It's so rare to have you ask for something from me, and well, you know that I won't deny you anything. I _am_ sorry I had to wake you up for it," he added as he continued to spread butterfly kisses up my throat, along my jaw line, beneath my ear, anywhere but my lips; "but like I said, I didn't want to risk your mother's good opinion on us."

"Too… much… talking…" I managed, grabbing the sheets with my fists when his lips hit a sensitive spot.

I felt his lips curl in a smile against my skin, but when he looked up, his expression was sealed, innocent. "What was that, love?"

I grabbed the front of his tee shirt and let his face hover an inch from mine for a second. "I'm right… here…" I whispered, touching my nose to his, before our lips met halfway. Warmth shot through me instantly, catching me off guard as it always had. I released his shirt and locked my arms around his stone-like neck, daring him to try and go back to the living room. My body arched up, seeking for his nearness. My lips moved more urgently against his as I let my tongue flicker along his bottom lip, half waiting for a rejection that had yet to come.

"God, Bella," he grunted. For a second I thought he was actually going to let me get away with it, but then his fingers very delicately circled my ankle, and he untangled the leg I'd managed to hitch around his waist. I was still trying to catch my shaky breath when he looked down at me reproachfully. "This isn't the place to undermine my self control, love." His tone was light, but I could see that he meant it. It was there in the sudden seriousness in his eyes, in the subtle clench of his jaw.

"It's never the place to undermine your self control," I complained, but he remained indifferent to my pout.

"You did not have to endure the mental image of Phil chasing me with a baseball bat if I treat you inappropriately," he said gravely.

"I'd like to see him try," I giggled.

He sulked, clearly displeased I failed to see his point. "Perhaps I should go."

"_No_!" My fingers went for his shirt again. There was a hint of a smile curling on his lips, one which he couldn't hide. "Please don't go back there." I let my fingers wander upwards, and threaded them in the hair at the back of his neck. "I promise I'll try to behave myself."

"Try," he snorted dubiously.

"I _will_ behave myself."

He rolled his eyes, but adjusted our position a little, so he was cradling me in his arms again. "Don't make promises you won't be able to keep," he said, dropping a kiss on the top of my head.

"Yes, I will," I mumbled. He laughed and said something in return, but I was already asleep before I could make sense of his reply.


	4. Saturday

I was alone when I woke up the next morning. It shouldn't have surprised or upset me, but it did. Waking up beside him had always been the best part about his staying over, even better than drifting off to sleep in his arms. I understood why he had to leave, of course, and I didn't resent him for it. It would be unwise to mess with the good impression he had left on my mom and Phil so far.

I lingered in bed a few moments longer. The pillow still carried his scent, but faintly, my only proof that he had actually spent half the night with me. I pressed my face to it for a moment, breathing him in, like I'd do on those days he was off hunting. Only then, with the deep mist of sleep slowly dissolving, I could hear the loud clamor coming from down the hall, where the kitchen was. Something smelt good, fresh, like brewing coffee or frying eggs, and I suddenly realized I was starving. I remembered enough of Renée's cooking to hope it would be Phil I'd find by the stove.

Three heads turned when I stepped into the kitchen, making me freeze on the threshold, and then blush furiously. Phil was by the stove alright, but Edward was there too, helping him, by the looks of it. I tried not to stare. My mother was sipping coffee by the counter, sitting on one of the high stools.

"Good morning, sleepyhead!" she all but leaped out of her seat towards me. "Five more minutes and I'd come to check on you."

I blushed harder at the thought of being the only one who slept in. My eyes flickered to Edward, who nodded in gentlemanly acknowledgement. He didn't try to make any move towards me, probably thinking it was inappropriate under the circumstances. There was a hint of apology in his eyes, for not being there when I woke up, I knew. I shook my head ever so slightly, dismissing it, a second before my mom tugged on my hand, pulling me to a stool next to hers. "Breakfast will be ready soon."

"Breakfast?" I echoed a little uncertainly, my mind still a little fuzzy from sleep.

"Phil's famous pancakes, you remember, honey." I did. They were delicious. Phil was the only grownup I knew who was decent in the kitchen. Both my parents failed on this account. "Phil makes the best pancakes, Edward, you've got to try them."

"Thank you, but I've already eaten," said Edward, without missing a beat. Slowly, I released a shaky breath. Phew, that was a close one.

"Oh," Renée tried to contain her disappointment. "You are quite the morning person, aren't you? Can you believe it, Bella, he was up before I did!" There was genuine surprise in her voice, as if she couldn't imagine anyone who would wake up before she did. "We'll save you some, and you can eat them later if you get hungry. Are you sure you can't come with us?"

"I'm afraid not."

At my mother's question, and Edward's sorrowful reply, I perked my head. "Where are we going?"

"Well, the weather is nice, and Phil has to go in a bit, so I was thinking we could spend the morning on the beach. You could both use a bit of a tan."

I almost choked on my glass of milk. "Are you staying in?" I asked Edward as casually as I could, hoping my mom wouldn't catch the dread in my voice. My mind was filled with mental images of Edward, sparkling every which way, in the bright, Florida sun.

"Yes. I have this term paper in English I can't put off any longer."

"Have you handed in your paper already, Bella?"

My mother's question puzzled me, but only for a hint of a second. "Umm, yes, just last week. We, umm, don't take English together. My class had an earlier deadline."

From over her shoulder, Edward rolled his eyes. He would tease me about my inability to work out a proper lie later, no doubt.

"Then it's all settled. Phil can drop us at the beach on his way to school. And later tonight we'll go someplace special. I've already made reservations yesterday."

Her eyes were gleaming. She looked as excited as a child on her birthday. But to me, 'reservations' meant only one thing – more human experiences, namely food Edward would not be able to eat. "You didn't have to do that, Mom, we'll be okay with staying home tonight – "

My voice trailed as she shook her head. "None of that, Bella. It's been ages since we've done something nice together, as a family. Besides, who knows when I'll see you again."

I pursed my lips and dug my nails into the skin of my thighs, trying not to appear too guilty, because without really meaning to, her observation was spot on. It was more than possible that by the next time we'd see each other, I wouldn't be me anymore. I looked up. The tortured expression on Edward's face told me he was thinking the exact same thing.

xoxox

The morning passed free of incidents. The beach wasn't too crowded, and I didn't get overly burned. Even my conversation with my mom was relatively normal. When she did ask me about Edward, she didn't go near the subjects I had feared of. She didn't even attempt to give me the sex talk, like Charlie had only a few days ago. I shuddered in horror while thinking back of it. She asked about our classes together, about the Cullens, about Edward's plans for after graduation, all the while referring to Edward as if he had been my best friend. She might as well have been asking me about Jacob.

While the safe topics calmed me down somewhat, I couldn't help staying on my guard, wondering when she would strike. It was impossible to expect she'd just ignore it. For eighteen years, she'd been longing to talk boys with her only daughter, and now when she finally had the opportunity, I doubted she'd let it go.

We were back to find Edward in the kitchen, engrossed in reading. There was a glass of milk next to him, half filled, and an empty plate – his fabricated lunch. I shook my head, which went unnoticed by Renée, two steps ahead of me. Boy, he was thorough.

He looked up from his book, and did a double take as he took in my sundress. I was sure he could make out the contours of my damp bathing suit beneath it, and my cheeks flared at the thought. My new bathing suit was blue, a modest one comparing with the other scanty ones Alice had forced me to try on, and still it showed off much more skin than I'd usually expose in Forks, or around Edward, for that matter. It was pretty obvious that he _had_ caught a glimpse of it, even through the dress, because he seemed flustered all of a sudden, shutting his book with more care than probably necessary.

"Did you have a good day, Edward?" my mom asked him as she poured both of us glasses of cold water, oblivious to his sudden distress.

The question made him snap out of it. "I did, thank you. It was very… productive." There was something hidden in his polite smile; I couldn't help but wonder what he'd been up to.

"I'm going to take a shower and then a little nap. Our reservations are for seven thirty, so make sure to be ready by seven."

"Okay, Mom." I waited until her footsteps receded, before I walked over to him. I stopped right in front of him. Even sitting on a stool, he was a little taller. "Hi," I smiled up at him, trying hard not to feel self conscious.

Restraint was written in his every feature. His discomfort seemed to increase now that we'd been left alone. "Hello."

"Is it safe?"

He seemed to know what I was asking. He chuckled. "You're not wasting any time, are you?"

"Not all of us have forever."

He rolled his eyes. "It should be safe… in about eight seconds."

I inwardly counted them down, and then added two more seconds, and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Courageous," he murmured, and his breath was cool against the sudden fire that overtook my skin. "Who would have thought?"

My planned backfire was muted by his kiss. Its intensity caught me off guard. His lips moved almost roughly against mine. He seemed to be forgetting all about his carefully guarded self control. His fingers slipped beneath the thin straps of my bathing suit, an unconscious act, by the feel of it. He pressed me closer to him with his other hand; it felt cold through the thin material of my sundress. I shivered, which, in retrospect, was the wrong thing to do, because he slowly pulled away. His grip around me loosened; his hand dropped from my shoulder.

"Your lips taste like sea water," he told me, still in that low, seductive tone, "and something else human."

"Chocolate milkshake," I replied, still a little breathless, blushing beneath his penetrating gaze.

"Mmm…" The meaning of his sigh was lost on me. Was it longing, or disgust, or something else entirely?

"I'm sorry about tonight. I don't know how to get us out of it – I tried – "

"Don't worry about it," he cut me off, taking my hand in his. I watched him as he kissed each of my fingers. "I quite enjoy the idea of acting human for you."

"We're going to _dinner_," I reminded him, in case it wasn't clear enough.

"I know," he gravely nodded.

"What are you going to do, hide the food in your purse? Or in mine?"

His grin was enigmatic. "You'll see."

xoxox

After taking a shower, I looked myself over in the mirror above the sink. My skin looked better already; healthier, slightly tanned even, even after merely a day in the sun. I sighed wistfully. It was great to see the sun again, almost like meeting an old friend. I knew I was going to miss it. Not the disgusting humidity so much – I couldn't wait to get rid of _that_. The air was thick with it, even now, at dusk. I breathed a sigh of relief when I was back in my room. The constant humming of the air conditioner sounded almost cheerful, comforting, and it was much cooler – and dryer – than it was outside.

Despite my attempt to protest, our planned outing was still going on. Renée had made reservations in an Italian restaurant she and Phil had frequented – the Italian theme of me and Edward's relationship amused me. I smiled to myself as I tried to decide what to wear. It was too hot for pants, and shorts didn't feel appropriate for a restaurant, so I settled on one of the two dresses I had tried on for Alice in Port Angeles, the ones she had somehow convinced me to buy.

It didn't look half bad now – it looked different when I didn't have to constantly stay on my guard. It was light green – Alice would probably come up with something more impressive like jade or emerald or mint – knee-length with thin spaghetti straps. The material was so soft I couldn't resist the urge to do a little spin in front of the full length mirror in my room. The full skirt flowed along with my movement, making me look graceful for the first time in my life. I decided against high heels; I couldn't risk tripping tonight. My hair was useless in this weather, so I just let it be – it tumbled down my shoulders.

I couldn't have timed it better if I tried. I stepped out of my room just as Edward stepped out of the guest bathroom down the hall. I had to hold on to the doorframe for support. I had never seen him more beautiful. Even in the poorly lit hallway, dim at this time of dusk, he looked more like a fantasy than anything else. The sleeves of his grey dress shirt were rolled as far as they could go up his muscular arms, momentarily distracting me. He had on black slacks – I didn't think I'd ever seen him wear anything but jeans, or sweatpants, occasionally. His hair was its usual beautiful mess, making me want to thread my fingers through it. I bit my bottom lip. I had to remind myself to keep my promise from last night, and behave.

He flashed his crooked smile at me as he reached for my hand. "You look absolutely breathtaking," he said, his gaze intense on mine. I feared my knees would give way. Once I got my breathing under control, I wanted to tell him how little sense he made, that _he_ was the one who was breathtaking, but he didn't give me a chance. He raised my hand to his lips and placed a kiss against the back of it.

He didn't let go of my hand when we walked towards the living room. Renée was already there, all dressed and ready, watching some old soap opera on mute. She got up the moment she saw us, and I cringed against what I'd found in her eyes. I braced myself just in time.

"Aww, aren't you two the cutest? Oh, Bella, sweetheart, this color looks so nice on you – where is my – Phil, where's my camera?"

Oh, _no_. It was worse than I thought. "No, Mom, please, don't – " I felt a squeeze on my hand. I didn't have to look at Edward to know a broad grin was plastered to his flawless face.

"Don't be silly, honey. You're going away tomorrow. And you can hardly blame me. If you were putting your birthday present for good use I didn't need to take pictures now," my mother reasoned as she looked through drawers and cabinets all over the living room. "And since I don't have pictures from your last birthday – Oh, there we go!" she cried triumphantly, nearly knocking the camera on the floor in her victory.

I grumbled to myself with each photo she'd taken, beaming and squealing like the mom that she was. It was almost as if… as if…

Edward's smug expression finally made sense to me.

It was almost as if we were going to prom.

xoxox

Phil's car was a battered blue Ford that reminded me of my ancient truck, speed limits included. It groaned whenever he attempted to go higher than seventy. I could tell the slow driving was making Edward more frustrated by the second. His long fingers tapped rhythmically on the seat with what seemed like impatience. I tried not to look too smug. That would serve him right. Not that it seemed to matter. Whenever our eyes met and I tried to sulk at him, a result of my previous realization, he flashed a blinding smile at me, completely oblivious to my resentment.

The restaurant looked like a really nice place. The walls were adorned with black and white photos of what seemed like Italian immigrants, probably the owner's ancestors. There was a candle in the center of each table, each covered with a checkered red and white tablecloth. The order of the tables left a round, empty space in the middle, which I assumed was a dance floor. There was an actual orchestra playing as we talked in, and a hostess showed us our table. Edward pulled a chair out for me – I could see the motion didn't go amiss by my mom, and my cheeks flushed. I kept my head down when I sank into my seat.

When we were all given our menus, I glimpsed at Edward, but he seemed engrossed in his, like both Phil and Renée were. I shook my head as I brought my attention back to my menu. I was sure he would make some sort of excuse – stomach flu, maybe? He could say he was vegetarian; that wasn't so far off the truth. But to my intense surprise, he ordered just like the rest of us. Mushroom ravioli, no less. I shot him an incredulous look; he just grinned at me. I was curious now; I wanted to see where he was going to hide the food.

The answer occurred to me shortly afterwards. He wasn't going to hide it – he intended to actually eat it. I nearly choked on my own creamed gnocchi when this realization hit me.

"You okay, Bella?" my mother asked, concern momentarily clouding the blue in her eyes.

"Fine," I managed, reaching out for my drink. My eyes flew to Edward as soon as her attention was diverted. He coked an eyebrow in what seemed like wordless challenge, and calmly popped another piece of ravioli into his mouth. I tried not to stare.

Phil was telling us about his day, and I forced myself to laugh in the right moments and comment when necessary, but it was difficult to pay attention. I was too distracted by the vampire on my right, downing a plate of human food, because he had no other choice.

"Don't forget to stop for a drink every now and again," I reminded him in a whisper.

"Maybe I don't like to drink with my meal," he whispered back. There it was, the revulsion I'd been waiting for. It was there in his voice, in his eyes. I held back my giggle.

"Do you like your ravioli, Edward?"

"I do. I was just telling Bella she should try some of it; I remember it's one of her favorites."

He might as well spell SOS with toothpicks. I stopped myself from rolling my eyes. "Only if you try some of mine." I felt I deserved something to gloat about, after the way he was getting his way about prom after all… in a way.

A flicker of something crossed his expression; if I hadn't known better, I'd say it was irritation. "I would have, but I don't want the flavors to clash." Then he turned to Renée, who was apparently watching our exchange with interest. "Cooking is my mother's hobby," he explained. "She taught us some iron rules as for what goes well with what."

I stopped myself from stomping on his foot. I would probably inflict more self damage than anything else anyway if I'd done it. Oblivious to the shock in my face, he pushed his plate in my direction. There was clear invitation in the motion. As I picked one ravioli, I was immediately reminded of that first date – if I could even call it that – in Port Angeles. I could tell he was relieved to be spared of my interrogations this time; then again, no one forced him to eat anything back then, and I was asking myself which option was better – or worse, under the circumstances.

As if he thought he'd had enough of acting human for one evening, Edward refused dessert. I could see it upset my mom so much that I suggested we'd share one, to which he agreed. I didn't think she noticed he wasn't actually eating anything.

At some point, the music resumed, shifting from traditional Italian ballads to a few jazz numbers, something people could actually dance to. There were quite a few couples on the floor, and I spent a few moments watching them. Then I suddenly realized Edward was watching _me_, and turned to look at him, my fork suspended in the air. "What?"

"Shall we?" he asked, smiling irresistibly. He nodded towards the dance floor.

"You know I don't dance," I said softly, quietly. I didn't want to offend him, but I really didn't want to make a fool out of myself in front of so many people.

"Aww, come on, honey, you should make an exception," Renée said, and I stared at her in shock. She was _my_ mother – she was supposed to be on _my_ side!

"No," I mumbled, sulking at my plate.

I could feel Edward's amused gaze on me. _I ate human food for you_ was probably written all over his face. "Please, Bella?"

Ugh. How did he _do_ that? I raised my eyes to meet his. Just like I suspected, they were smoldering. The moment our gazes locked, he flashed his crooked smile at me, the one he knew I couldn't resist. "I promise I won't let you trip."

From the corner of my eye, I could see Renée melt at that. They were all looking at me now – even Phil – smiling encouragingly. My cheeks burned beneath their pleading eyes. Hating to be in the center of attention, I accepted defeat and placed my hand in Edward's as he led me towards the dance floor.

"You are going to pay for that," I warned him, but my scowl melted into a much softer expression when his eyes were leering at me again.

"No, I am not. It was only fair," he replied calmly. "You didn't want to go to prom with me. You owe me."

"Huh!" I snorted, meaning to protest, but by then it was too late. He kept my hand in his, settling for the more innocent position of wrapping just one arm around my waist. Even this way, he held me very close against him, closer than it probably seemed to an external observer. For once not carrying who was watching me, I lay my head against his chest and closed my eyes, breathing him in, as I let me body melt against his, slowly swaying to the soft sounds of the music.

"You're getting better at this," he murmured, his chin resting on the top of my head.

"Shh, I'm counting steps here," I mock-frowned at him, which earned me a chuckle. I looked up at him; all my attempts to count were in vain. "Do I want to know what are you going to do with all that food?"

"No, you really don't," he sighed; it made me laugh. "I could ask you for at least five more dance numbers for having to do that."

"I thought you liked the idea of acting human for me."

"There's acting human, and then there's acting human." He chuckled again. "Your mother's mind is quite entertaining tonight."

Oh, no. "Entertaining, how?"

"It's nice to know that she and I share one desire."

There was only one thing I knew he really wanted; the one thing I felt almost sure my mother wouldn't even dream to consider… until now. My eyes wide with horror. "She's not thinking – "

"Why, she's way ahead of me on that one. She's fantasizing about our children already." He looked dead serious, so I knew he wasn't teasing me. Beyond that, there was this smug grin again, so I knew the idea amused him. But as soon as I detected it, it was gone. "She wants exactly what I want for you. A normal life."

"Well, it's too late for normal," I asserted, and lay my head against his chest again. I had enough of his tortured expression. "What are they like? Our imaginary children?"

"I can tell you that without reading your mother's mind."

He sounded like he was smiling, but it was a sad sort of smile, wistful. I meant the question to lighten the atmosphere, but maybe it was the wrong thing to ask. "For what it's worth, it's only you I want anyway."

His arm tightened around me ever so slightly. For once, he wasn't arguing with me, which made me all the more suspicious. I couldn't help but wonder what was really on his mind.

xoxox

That night, after shutting the door to my room, I stayed up and listened carefully. Tonight, he wouldn't catch me by surprise. I heard Phil turning the TV off, and the constant rustle of my mom's book, until at some point it ceased as well. The house was completely silent, and I sat back and waited for him to show up.

I think it was the unbearable heat that woke me at some point. I jolted, realizing I must have been dozing off. I was half sitting, half laying in bed, but I was still alone. That was weird. The complete silence around the house told me that Edward could have been here – _should_ have been here – by now. I frowned, wondering if he was still upset about our conversation on the dance floor. I could tell it made him moody when we got back to our seats. He was completely distracted when my mom began to ask us about graduation. But then after a few minutes he softened, so I really hoped he got over it.

Apparently not.

I stepped out of bed and waited by the door, listening again. Still quiet. I held my breath as I opened the door, and exhaled slowly when it didn't creak. Then I snuck out, and ran a hand through my mess of a hair as I padded down the hall towards the living room. It was dimly lit; the light grew stronger as I moved closer.

His ability to catch my scent prevented any chance of catching him by surprise, of course, but he still seemed unusually flustered to see me standing there. "Bella! What are you doing here?"

"I was asking myself the same thing, about you," I said, and stepped forward a bit hesitantly. What the hell he was doing?

And then, when I was close enough to catch a glimpse of the coffee table, I saw exactly what he'd been up to.

_Did you have a good day, Edward?_

_I did, thank you. It was very… productive._

And I could finally understand the expression on his face when he said it this morning.

"What are you doing with those?" I hissed, all but leaping at the half dozen photo albums that were spread open on the coffee table before him. They were all of me, baby photos and elementary school photos of various awkward phases my mom was so ridiculously protective of. Photos no one but us was supposed to lay eyes on, _especially_ not Edward. My heart was hammering so hard against my chest I was sure he didn't have his vampire super abilities to hear it.

He didn't even have the courtesy to look guilty. "I found them this morning. I only managed to go over these three then before you got back, so I'm looking through everything I haven't gotten a chance to."

"Like hell you are!"

But his hand covered mine before I even managed to snatch the first album off the table. Slowly, he lowered it back into place, and locked his gaze on mine, unleashing the power of his eyes on me. I sank on the sofa next to him, defeated.

"I don't like the idea of you going through my baby pictures," I said, sulking.

The intensity of his stare shifted to amusement. "It's as fascinating as watching you sleep."

"And just as embarrassing."

"I don't find any of these embarrassing," he said, reaching for an album before sitting back. I scooted closer to him, and lay my legs on his lap so he could lean the album against my knees. I rested my head on his shoulder as he slowly leafed through the pages. "It makes me wonder if my own mother has so carefully documented my life. And what have become of those photos if she has."

In my mind's eye, I could see them so clearly. Dozens of them, despite the limited means of photography back then. Their edges were yellowing, all carrying hints of landmarks of his short human life.

"It makes me sad."

"I'm sure her collection was more impressive than Renée's."

He looked away from the photos, and gave me a look. "That's not what I meant."

One closer look at him, and I knew exactly what he meant.

"I'm taking so much from you," he whispered, keeping his eyes on a photo of me on my eighth birthday; "Adulthood and sunlight, and the chance of keeping a documentation of the life of your own children."

"I told you," I murmured. "I don't want any of it without you."

"It doesn't mean I'm not taking those things from you."

"You're giving me so much more in return." He looked up at me, his golden eyes dubious. "You _are_," I insisted. "I'll spend the rest of eternity telling you this if I have to, until you finally believe it."

He meant to respond; I saw he wanted to. Instead, as if on second thought, he pursed his lips and turned another page on the album. I almost expected him to ask me questions about the times and places in which each of these photos had been taken. He had used to do that from time to time, interrogate me about one or other insignificant moment in my life thus far. He was at it pretty much the entire summer last year. But now, there was none of it. I watched him watching my photographed self, and held back my protest whenever he stumbled upon a photo that was more embarrassing than others, or whenever he lingered on one a moment too long. At some point I guess I drifted, because I was suddenly feeling lighter, weightless, almost as if I was floating or flying. My eyes fluttered open when my back met a hard surface again.

"Shh… go back to sleep, love," Edward murmured, his head hovering inches from mine. He pulled something over me – the blanket I pushed away when I'd gone searching for him earlier. He brought me back to my room. I wanted to tell him to stay with me, but my mind felt too fuzzy to form the words. Instead I felt myself sinking deeper into sleep. In one last moment of lucidity, I thought I sensed his lips pressing against my forehead in a ghostly kiss.


	5. Sunday

**A/N: here's the last part, a little short again. I really enjoyed writing this missing scene, and reading all your comments. As you can probably tell from the list of my stories, I really like doing missing scenes. If there's a scene Stephenie didn't include in the books and you want to read more about, drop me a review and tell me which scene it is, and I'll see if I can fill in the gaps for you. There's also a new story in the making, so stay tuned for that as well. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this final part, and keep up those reviews =)**

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When he moves, even a little bit, you adjust your position at the same time. Like magnets… or gravity. You're like a… satellite, or something. I've never seen anything like it.

Even hours later, literally across the state from Jacksonville, my mother's words still echoed in my mind. After everything else that still happened that evening, especially that enigmatic phone call from Jacob, her words were the only thing that lingered. The sound of Charlie's snores was strangely comforting. I didn't realize how much at home I'd come to feel here. Even the sound of the rain, rhythmically tapping against my window, didn't bother me. It was unnerving, almost. Forks was actually growing on me.

Edward didn't stay the night. He said he had a lot to catch up on at home, which I thought was odd, but didn't question him. My belongings were scattered all over my tiny room in various stages of unpack. I stared at them wearily. I knew it was probably a good idea to at least try and get some sleep, considering I had to get ready to school in a few hours, but I couldn't. I was too much on edge.

I thought I managed to divert Renée from whatever she was thinking, but I couldn't help wondering what else she thought of that she didn't let show. Most of her observations had been spot on. Even though she hadn't said anything, did she know there was more to us than this intensity she couldn't quite explain? Did she sense, by some maternal instinct, it could be the last time we'd see each other?

This last thought brought me back to Jacob's phone call, to his strange inquiry, checking to see if I was still human. Under different circumstances, it could have been the case. But if I was honest with myself, I feared this weekend at my mom's had taken us a few steps backwards. There were so many things that could dissuade Edward from changing his mind again. I knew that despite my attempt to convince him, he was still set on the fact he was taking things from me.

And still, I meant what I said. The sun, growing up, a chance at an actual family, they were all insignificant without him. I'd tried to live without him once, and it was like nothing I'd ever experienced before, nothing I'd want to go through again. It went beyond pain, physical or mental. He was more essential to me than all these things combined. Even without immortality binding us forever, I was already his. It was, like my mother said, like satellite, only it was more than just my heart. And it was too late to take it back. My mind was set. The decision was made. I wanted – I _needed_ – him. There was absolutely no other way.


End file.
